This past weekend, the University of North Dakota hockey team swept Western Michigan in a pivotal conference matchup (5-3 W, 3-0 W). With the win, UND won the Penrose Cup outright for the fourth time in the last five years and the sixth in the last 11 seasons. The conference championship is one goal on the list of things that UND wants to accomplish. UND is looking to check more boxes.
“We have a winning culture,” Hunter Johannes said. “We’re going to get back to work; we want to bring this town, these fans, and our families what we deserve. We’re going to come in and work every day for it.”
Here are three things that caught my attention this past weekend.
Jackson Blake Approaching Historic Mark
This past weekend, Blake continued his points streak with (1g-2a-3pts). Blake is tied for third place with Gabe Perreault in the national scoring race behind Boston College’s Will Smith (17g-37a-54pts), Cutter Gauthier (31g-20a-51pts), Gabe Perreault (15g-35a-50pts), Blake (19g-31a-50pts), Boston University Macklin Celebrini (26g-22a-48pts), and Denver University’s Jack Devine (24g-25-49pts). (Link to National Scoring Stats).
With his goal on Saturday night, Blake is tied for the NCHC record for most league points in a season (35). The record is held by former UND forward Brock Boeser (2015-16) and former Denver Pioneer Bobby Brink (2021-22). After being held scoreless in the first game of the CC series, Blake is on a five-game point streak and scored (2g-9a-11pts) during that streak. Last night, he scored his 19th goal and 50th point of the season.
This season, Blake is making history; he’s scored (19-31a-50pts) and is the first UND player since Brock Boeser and Drake Caggiula to score 50 or more points. During the 2015-16 season, Boeser scored (27g-33a-60pts) and Caggiula (25g-26a-51pts). For his career, Blake has (35g-57a-92pts). Blake has enough time to equal Boeser’s season total. The games will get harder from here as he plays in the conference and NCAA playoffs. I think Blake is making a case for being in the mix for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
Ludvig Person Shines
Before coming to UND, Persson had been on Miami teams that were cellar dwellers at the bottom of the NCHC standings. During Persson’s prior three seasons, the RedHawks had never won more than eight games. If you add up all three season’s wins, the RedHawks won 20 games; this season, UND is 24-8-2. Saturday, Persson recorded his fifth shutout of the season. In three previous seasons, he had a combined total of five shutouts. on the season Persson is (21-8-2, 2.44 GAA, .908 save percentage).
On February 16-17, 2024, the Colorado College Tigers swept UND by a combined score of 13-3. Since that weekend, UND has rebounded, going 4-0, outscoring the opposition 18-5, and recording two shutouts. UND goalie Ludvig Persson played a big part in that. This past weekend, Persson stopped 69-of-72 shots for the weekend. That’s a .958 save percentage.
What went through Persson’s mind as he was handed the Penrose Cup?
“Lots of thoughts going through your mind,” Persson said. “It’s been a journey to get there. A lot of emotions. It’s a long journey to get here. I’m going to take it all in. Just enjoy the moment. I am just happy.”
Bennett Zmolek, UND’s Puck-Blocking Machine
UND sophomore defenseman Bennett Zmolek leads the NCHC in block shots with 83. The next closest player is Denver defenseman Sean Behrens with 55. Even more remarkable is that Zmolek has missed five games due to injury. He blocked five shots Friday, tying him with UND forward Dylan James. The coaching staff held him out of the lineup on Saturday because of his bumps and bruises. Zmolek wanted to play, but the coaching staff held him out of the lineup. Since arriving on campus, Zmolek has been a puck-blocking machine.
“We had Bennett Zmolek out of the lineup tonight because he ate so many shots last night,” UND head coach Brad Berry said. “He wanted to play, but it wasn’t the right thing to do. Those guys will do whatever it takes to win games and championships, and that’s part of North Dakota in our culture.”
I asked Coach Berry what former UND player Zmolek reminds him of.
“He’d be a hybrid of Craig Ludvig and Matt Green,” Berry said. “Green would put his face in front of shots. So would Craig Ludwig.”
